Replacing 2000 watts of HPS with 1000 watts COB LEDs
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Rivets kick so much ass. $10 with rivets from harbor freight. Do not let it intimidate you. It's so simple.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
YaYea, I meant drilling and tapping the heat sinks, not the angled aluminum
.. it's easy. Use M3 8-12mm SELF TAPPING Pan Head screws from ebay and a 7/64" drill bit and you just screw them in slowly with a hand screwdriver. Makes threads. Taps aren't needed.
Tstat
Well-Known Member
Well, I am certainly impressed with my light and I'm about to order another. I'm also interested in trying to make my own. I like the kit, but I wish I could just purchase the heat sinks that are pre drilled and tapped somewhere. That way I wouldn't have to drill and tap them and I could source slightly cheaper components possibly...
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
AGAIN...
Buy M3x8mm SELF TAPPING Pan Head screws off of ebay. They're black. Then go to harbor freight and buy a 7 pack of Titanium Nitride bits 7/64". Drill your holes and use a screwdriver on the screws and you can make your own threads by hand. Tapping is not necessary. Hope this helps. I've done every hole this way. It's ALL less than $5.
Screws (take a while to ship so order like... NOW):
http://m.ebay.com/itm/M3-Black-Cross-pan-Head-Self-Tapping-Screws-Black-Oxide-Electronic-small-Screw-/172178450739?nav=SEARCH
Or without the tail/
http://m.ebay.com/itm/M3-Black-Oxide-Cross-Pan-Head-Cut-the-tail-Slotting-Self-Tapping-Screws-/172138405908?nav=SEARCH&varId=470976070116
Drill Bits :
http://m.harborfreight.com/7-64-inch-high-speed-steel-titanium-nitride-drill-bits-7-pack-93078.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided
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Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
I'd never drilled metal in my life until I made my light. It is SO easy. Quit letting it intimidate you, man. Get yourself a nice sturdy straight spinning corded drill, a good automatic center punch, and go to town on it with those bits. I promise you'll laugh at the thought that you ever though it would be "too hard". Save yourself some money... D.I.Y.
kmog33
Well-Known Member
The drivers are 88-90% efficient and the veros put out 150-160 lpw at that current. So not terrible. And priced over $100 less than the cheapest light using 3070s or 3590s it's not like the price doesn't reflect the fact that it's not using the most popular/efficient diode ATM. Granted for the $100 extra it would cost, I'm sure the 3590s or 3070s could be added/upgraded if he wanted.
You're still beating hid efficiency by a good bit.
The thing about spending $200 on this 100 watt cob light is you're spending $130+ less than any other comparable panel.
Unless you mention the w90, but it's a single cob fixture so not really the same.
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Tstat
Well-Known Member
To me, this light is fantastic. Of course, I am new to LED, but impressed nonetheless. So much so that I am ordering a second one. I am still thinking of building one with the kit and angled aluminum, but really it's the same price (more or less). I am just looking for COBs that will eventually replace all of my HPS. With another mailbox and a 4 COB kit I can get rid of my 600 watt HPS!
Tstat
Well-Known Member
So, I just visited the new light and it really looks like the girls are responding well! All the leaves are turned up toward the mailbox:
I think this weekend I'll work on some reflection for the little space. It was kind of painted flat while, but I originally wasn't planning on utilizing this space. Now I am
I think this weekend I'll work on some reflection for the little space. It was kind of painted flat while, but I originally wasn't planning on utilizing this space. Now I am
Tstat
Well-Known Member
I now have 2 more mailboxes on the way, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign. As soon as I get those, I'll order one more and get rid of the 600 watt HPS. After that I'll probably order a kit and try to finish off the 1000 watt section myself.
I am thinking that I should get some better reflection going in there. I have used mylar in the past, but it always gets shitty looking if you spray your plants a few times. Any suggestions?
I am thinking that I should get some better reflection going in there. I have used mylar in the past, but it always gets shitty looking if you spray your plants a few times. Any suggestions?
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Four options IMO.
REFLECTEX insulation in 4'x 25' rolls at home depot.
4'x8' Reflective insulation SHEETS at home depot.
Panda Film (2faced) black and white Poly film.
OR the "Mac daddy" so it seems on here, ORCA.
I like mylar personally though, as long as it goes up onto a FLAT surface it's easy cleaned.
Tstat
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, sorry for not updating this more, but I just received 2 more mailboxes last week and mounted them. It allowed me to get rid of my 600 HPS. I plan on buying another next week and removing the 1000 hps and replacing that with the 600.
So, eventually I want to remove the HPS and just have cobs. These are 4000 spectrum. I am not sure how to proceed after I get my 4th mailbox in there. I can either keep buying these until I have filled the space, or build a fixture with like 6 cobs.
What do you guys think? It's very cost effective to go with the mailboxes, as they are only $200 each. So for someone on a limited budget, I can just buy them when I have the cash until the space is done. Should I add 3000's as well? Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. I am a LED convert
So, eventually I want to remove the HPS and just have cobs. These are 4000 spectrum. I am not sure how to proceed after I get my 4th mailbox in there. I can either keep buying these until I have filled the space, or build a fixture with like 6 cobs.
What do you guys think? It's very cost effective to go with the mailboxes, as they are only $200 each. So for someone on a limited budget, I can just buy them when I have the cash until the space is done. Should I add 3000's as well? Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. I am a LED convert
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Pin heatsinks and more so extruded bar sinks are bounds cheaper than a $200 mailbox. Are you meaning completed?Hey guys, sorry for not updating this more, but I just received 2 more mailboxes last week and mounted them. It allowed me to get rid of my 600 HPS. I plan on buying another next week and removing the 1000 hps and replacing that with the 600.
So, eventually I want to remove the HPS and just have cobs. These are 4000 spectrum. I am not sure how to proceed after I get my 4th mailbox in there. I can either keep buying these until I have filled the space, or build a fixture with like 6 cobs.
What do you guys think? It's very cost effective to go with the mailboxes, as they are only $200 each. So for someone on a limited budget, I can just buy them when I have the cash until the space is done. Should I add 3000's as well? Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. I am a LED convert
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Okay, so the mailbox with the cobs, driver, and all wired up is $200. Shipped. I'm glad theyre working for you! I couldn't use them myself. Too much height loss from the mailbox itself. All passively cooled right? No fans?
Also what drivers are being used to run 2 cobs & @ what amperage?
Chronikool
Well-Known Member
Tstat
Well-Known Member
@Airwalker16 :
Glw 3000ma 20-38v led drivers are 100 watts powering Bridgelux v22 4000k 6000 lumen cobs. The first one I bought uses active cooling, the other 2 are passive.
For my room cob makeover, I care about 3 things:
1) Not sacrificing quality/quantity
2) Reducing heat
3) Reducing electricity costs
@Chronikool :
Thanks! I have not been this excited about growing in a long time. I love these $200 lights because I can do just that- get some cash, buy another one. Even if I did buy a DYI kit, it would cost more. I know if I sourced the parts separately, I'd save some cash but not that much...
Glw 3000ma 20-38v led drivers are 100 watts powering Bridgelux v22 4000k 6000 lumen cobs. The first one I bought uses active cooling, the other 2 are passive.
For my room cob makeover, I care about 3 things:
1) Not sacrificing quality/quantity
2) Reducing heat
3) Reducing electricity costs
@Chronikool :
Thanks! I have not been this excited about growing in a long time. I love these $200 lights because I can do just that- get some cash, buy another one. Even if I did buy a DYI kit, it would cost more. I know if I sourced the parts separately, I'd save some cash but not that much...